On third-and-1 with 8:25 left in the fourth, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford throws to tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who is covered by Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens. Hitchens, whose back was turned during the throw, was called for defensive pass interference — an obviously correct call. But then the refs picked up the flag and overturned the call. Then the Lions punt. Then the Cowboys score. Then Dallas goes on to win, 24-20, and earn a meeting with the Packers next.

Peyton Manning led the Broncos to the NFL’s single-season scoring record. (Getty Images)

Jim Bob Cooter, a Broncos offensive assistant this past season, is getting hired away by the Detroit Lions, where he will become head coach Jim Caldwell’s new quarterbacks coach.

Cooter, 29, spent just the one season with the Broncos at the low-level coaching position. His first NFL job was with the Indianapolis Colts, where he worked with Caldwell and quarterback Peyton Manning from 2009-11.

It’s quite the promotion for Cooter as he now has arguably the most important task on the Lions: Fixing Matthew Stafford. Immensely talented and the NFL’s No. 1 overall draft pick in 2009, the strong-armed Stafford, as much as any NFL quarterback, needs coaching in fundamentals, poise under fire and reading defenses.

Peyton Manning is congratulated on the Broncos sideline after setting the NFL single-season TD record. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

You’re going to read a lot in tomorrow’s Denver Post about Peyton Manning’s single-season touchdown record, but here’s a quick look at the other players on the top-10 list. Notice, all but Dan Marino and Kurt Warner put up their numbers after 2000.

You knew it was coming after Sunday night. A change at the top of the Tuesday Morning Quarterback rankings. And how about all those sophomore slumps spreading throughout the league. It’s getting to the point where the body of work through the season weighs heavier than weekly performances or disasters. But there’s still consideration for both. Here’s the NFL Quarterback Power Rankings 2013, Week 12 edition.

1. Tom Brady, Patriots (5)
It took me awhile to figure it out. But this guy is off the charts in mental toughness. He spotted Peyton Manning, the reigning No. 1, a 24-0 halftime lead. And the passing conditions were poor for Brady, too. He still threw for 344 yards with 3 touchdowns to improve to 10-4 head-to-head against Manning.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady hands off to running back Stevan Ridley during the first quarter. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

2. Peyton Manning, Broncos (1)Except for perhaps Wayne Gretzky and Secretariat, all the sports greats had a nemesis. For Manning, it’s Brady and Belichick. Played poorly in miserable conditions, but did come through with a clutch, game-tying drive late in fourth quarter. With Knowshon Moreno hobbling, Broncos will have to go back to relying on Manning’s passing this week at Kansas City.

Take Aaron Rodgers out of play, and add in slumps to Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick, and it’s difficult to find 10 quarterbacks worthy of the top 10. But watch out for Matt McGloin. Just don’t watch Geno Smith.

1. Peyton Manning, Broncos (1)The ankle did bother him on some throws but a big reason why Chiefs didn’t have one quarterback hit, much less a sack, is because quick-throwing Manning didn’t give them time.

2. Drew Brees, Saints (2)Down 20-14 in fourth quarter against tough 49ers defense, directed three consecutive field goal drives for win. Did get a lucky penalty.

3. Cam Newton, Panthers (10)Came up with the scramble of the year in impressive Monday night win against the Patriots. Also threw for 3 TDs without a turnover.

4. Russell Wilson, Seahawks (5)Posted the highest passer rating of the week (151.4) by throwing for 230 yards and 2 TDs on just 13 completions in 41-20 romp of Minnesota. Enters well-deserved bye at 10-1.

The New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees is a fantasy football player’s dream quarterback. (AP photo)

Amazing, isn’t it? All these young guns. Andrew Luck. RG III. Colin Kaepernick. Cam Newton. None of them anywhere close to playing with Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. Russell Wilson is maybe in the neighborhood, although let’s see what happens when the Seahawks ask him to start throwing for 300 yards a game.

Sometimes the best way to get ahead is to do nothing. Peyton Manning had slipped from No. 1 for the first time all season, to No. 3. But No. 1 Aaron Rodgers suffered an early injury Monday night and No. 2 Drew Brees threw two interceptions in defeat.

At least two well-considered quarterbacks reverted to form last week. For Tom Brady that was a good thing. For Andy Dalton it was not. And Matt Ryan is playing the worst quarterback of his career.
The QB rankings entering week 10:

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers scrambles past Atlanta Falcons linebacker Curtis Lofton on a 7-yard touchdown run during the second half of a playoff football game Jan. 15, 2011, in Atlanta. (Dave Martin, The Associated Press)

I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t keep a quarterback coming off a three-interception, four-turnover game at the No. 1 spot. Call me harsh, Broncos fans. But what’s the point of having weekly rankings if you can’t make changes each week? Have you seen Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees throw lately? They are the fairest in the land. And then there were dual-threat QBs, Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick, making their moves. The QB rankings entering Week 9:

2. Drew Brees, Saints (4)Threw 5 TDs with 0 interceptions against Buffalo while completing 26 of 34 for 322 yards. Now tied with Tom Brady for fourth all-time with 343 touchdowns. Brady is 35 with 9 TD passes this year. Brees is 33 with 19 TD passes in one less game.

3. Peyton Manning, Broncos (1t)Reached the halfway point still leading the NFL in touchdown passes (29), yards (2,919) and passer rating (119.1). But after throwing 16 TDs with 0 picks in first four games, has 13 TDs, 6 picks in last four.

The Broncos will have to give Peyton Manning better protection if he is to go wire-to-wire ranked No. 1 in our poll. Some major moves up the rankings were made by Andy Dalton and Philip Rivers while Tom Brady, Tony Romo, Nick Foles and Jay Cutler plummeted. Romo’s drop wasn’t so much about his performance Sunday (although there were two picks) as he was overrated last week. And poor Matt Barkley. It can’t get any worse. The QB rankings entering week 8:

1. Peyton Manning, Broncos (1 last week)First time this year he played under serious pass-rush duress. Had 5 sacks first 6 games, but four against Colts. Even with passes following the arc of dying quails, he still threw for 3 TDs and league-most 386 yards.

Tuesday Morning QuarterbackIt’s tough to rate Tom Brady. We know what he’s done. Which is more than any other active quarterback. But you weigh that against what he’s doing now. Which isn’t much. The top two quarterbacks stay the same this week with no one playing at Peyton Manning’s level. But there are massive changes after Drew Brees at No. 2:Quarterback ……………….. (Last week’s ranking)

1. Peyton Manning, Broncos (1)

No coach, no commentator, no player has ever mastered the game of football like this guy is now. His pace through four games last week of 64 touchdown passes seemed silly – except he’s still on pace for 64 TDs through five games.

Quarterbacks are paid to win games. But last weekend, three notable QBs – Matt Schaub, Joe Flacco and Jay Cutler – lost games by throwing the ball to the wrong team. There were four quarterbacks who didn’t start the previous week. And for all the buzz about the talented, young, athletic crop of quarterbacks, look whose 1-2-3:

You may have seen the note in Tuesday’s paper about the Broncos’ offense being tied for the second-most points ever in the first three games of a season, with 127. (Only the 1968 Cowboys, with 132 points in their first three games, have had more.) Here’s a closer look at this crazy-good offense and just how much better it is than the rest of the NFL:

Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger have a diminished supporting cast and look below average. The supposedly super sophomores are slumping. Five quarterbacks – Jay Cutler, Matt Schaub, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers and EJ Manuel – came through in the final seconds/minutes. There are but two quarterbacks, though, clearly playing above the rest. They rank 1-2 in week 2 of the Tuesday Morning Quarterback rankings:Quarterback ……………………… (Last week’s ranking)
1. Peyton Manning, Broncos (1)None of those athletic young guns have this guy’s discipline, his ability to control the game, his accuracy.

Mike Klis has been with The Denver Post since 1998, after working 13 years with the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. Major League Baseball was Klis' initial passion. He started covering the Colorado Rockies after Coors Field was approved for construction in August 1990.

Nicki Jhabvala is the Sports Digital News Editor for The Denver Post. Before arriving in Denver, she spent five years at Sports Illustrated working primarily as its online NBA editor, and she was most recently the overnight home page editor at the New York Times. She has reported regularly on the Broncos since joining the staff.

A published author and award-winning journalist, Benjamin Hochman is a sports columnist for The Denver Post. He previously worked on the staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winners of two Pulitzer Prizes for their Hurricane Katrina coverage.